the concept of brotherhood through the antagonistic relationship between the Caffee brothers. Through its examination of family, the show makes loyalty a recurring theme. Though the two brothers follow different paths and try to assert their differences from one another, they often prove similar. The show portrays Michael and Tommy striving for the good of their neighborhood through politics and crime, which are often portrayed as similar. Corruption and the way it infiltrates families, neighborhoods and governments is another theme. The examination of big city corruption has been compared to the work of Sidney Lumet. Masters has admitted an intention to make the city of Providence a character in the show. The Hollywood Reporter noted the parallels between the morally grey areas inhabited by the characters and the muted tones of their surroundings. "The Hill" is dominated by Irish Americans and the show has been characterised as examining ethnicity. Michael's morality In an interview relating to the series, Jason Isaacs described Michael as follows: "Well actually, Michael Caffee is not a bad guy. I wouldn't have done this if he was a bad guy. He's a really interesting man. He has a really strict ethical code that he adheres to and he thinks he is better for the neighborhood and the future of the city than his brother is. He thinks his brother is corrupt. He's part of the system." Reception Viewing figures Despite having a subpar total viewership of 540,000, Showtime renewed the series for a second season which aired in Fall 2007. It was renewed for a third season with eight episodes as of January 21, 2008. Critical acclaim Many critics compared the series to The Sopranos. Some felt that it was actually closer in tone to another HBO drama, The Wire, in portraying "a fine-textured portrait of a blue-collar city" and predicted comparable under performance in finding an audience. LA Weekly stated that the show may be more satisfying in its emotional payoffs for viewers than the sixth season of The Sopranos. Critics have characterized the show as being part of a wave of programming that puts Showtime on a level pegging with their pay cable rival HBO for quality. Critics have praised the central performances of Clarke and Isaacs. They have also commented on the authenticity in casting down to the minor roles and the strong characterization of the supporting cast. The Hollywood Reporter named the